Abuse - the improper use of treatment of a thing/person. It comes in many forms: physical, verbal, assault, substance abuse etc.

Addiction - a complex condition in which a person finds themselves unable to stop using a substance or engaging in a behaviour repeatedly, even though it is causing psychological or physical harm. For example, gambling, drugs or alcohol.

Anxiety - a feeling of unease, worry or fear which, when persisting and impacting on daily life, may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

Depression - classified as a mental mood disorder where a patient experiences low mood, loss of interest and pleasure in their usual daily activities.

Domestic Abuse - a pattern of controlling and aggressive behaviour that is intentional and calculated to exercise power within a relationship.

Mental health - our emotional (feelings), psychological (thoughts) and social (how we interact with others) well-being which affects how we think, feel and act.

Mental health stigma - this refers to the negative stereotypes of those with a mental health problem. This includes discrimination against such people causing them to be rejected from society in extreme cases.

Mental disorders - these are mental conditions that affect our thinking, feelings, mood and behaviour which change our ability to relate to others and function in our daily lives.

Panic attacks - a feeling of sudden or intense anxiety which may present itself with physical symptoms like shaking, nausea, rapid and irregular heartbeats, dry mouth, breathlessness, sweating and dizziness.

Self-esteem - describes a person's overall sense of self-worth which involves how we value and perceive ourselves.

Self-harm - any act or intentional harm of one's self, it is a coping mechanism commonly used by people suffering as a method of dealing with overwhelming and conflicting emotions.

Stress - the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of intense pressures that are unmanageable.

Think before you speak!

Certain language can cause offence and may be inaccurate when it concerns those with mental health problems. Some of the terms stated may surprise you because a lot of these are innocently used. It's important that we tackle that issue of separating an individual from their disorder as it shouldn't be used to define them! Here are some commonly misused and misunderstood terms and alternative suggestions: